Earlier on Monday, in Baghdad, the U.S. military reported a suspected suicide bomb attack killed five U.S. soldiers on foot patrol.

In Muqdadiya, northeast of Baghdad, a suicide bomber killed two people and wounded more than 20 others. And a female suicide bomber blew herself up outside the home of a local tribal leader, Sheikh Ghadban al-Karkhi in Diyala province, killing him and three others.

In related news, the commander of coalition forces in western Iraq says he expects al-Qaida in Iraq fighters to try to return to the region as they are pushed out of other parts of the country, and possibly try to launch large-scale attacks.

Still, U.S. Major General John Kelly says his forces and Iraqi units are ready.

The general also said he believes it would be difficult for al-Qaida to establish a bomb-making factory, or to bring in a lot of explosives from elsewhere. But he said intelligence reports indicate there is reason for concern.